When Did RC Become Most Important?

[D. Bergin]

I think people forget this, but for the longest time a Rookie card designation was only considered if the card in question was issued in a traditional gum or wax wrapper type "pack", and had a widely accepted distribution model.

Also, oddball sized stuff was not considered (ie, Exhibits, Goudey Premiums, etc.).

Nobody even guessed what the Rookie cards of tobacco era guys were.

Even in the 80's when all those traded sets came out. Darryl Strawberry's Rookie card was 1984, Roger Clemens, Kirby Puckett and Dwight Goodens Rookie cards were in 1985.

The Raines and Ripken traded set cards, may as well have been 2nd year cards of those players.

The earlier "Traded" cards were considered pretty neat, but mostly a novelty if you couldn't pull it from a pack at a convenience store.

[D. Bergin]

Originally Posted by D. Bergin

The earlier "Traded" cards were considered pretty neat, but mostly a novelty if you couldn't pull it from a pack at a convenience store.

.....and if you remember in the late 80's, Topps and other companies began to combat this perception by finally beginning to issue Traded and end of year 2nd Series releases into Wax Box product, across all the different mainstream sports releases.

[ullmandds]

I was into collecting pretty hardcore in the late 70's-early 80's. As long as I can remember 1st year cards were coveted.